The present invention relates to a mechanically amplified, smart material actuator apparatus formed by assembling a smart material device, compensator, at least one actuating arm, and a web assembly comprising a plurality of plates. Mechanically amplified smart material actuators utilizing web assemblies are known in the art. Such actuators, however, typically utilize web assemblies that are formed from a unitary piece of a material such as stainless steel. Such actuators can have high manufacturing costs, however, in part due to the expense of manufacturing a web assembly single piece.
The present invention provides a smart material actuator in which the web assembly is formed from a plurality of plates that are joined together. Forming a web assembly from layered plates can be less expensive as plates can be manufactured with less expensive processes such as stamping a plate from a metal sheet.
This application hereby incorporates by reference, in their entirety, U.S. published applications 2011/0309721, 2012/0038245, 2012/0001518, 2012/0297880, 2012/0308055, 2013/0108475, 2013/0234561, 2013/0234562; and U.S. Pat. Nos.:                6,717,332;        6,548,938;        6,737,788;        6,836,056;        6;759,790;        7,132,781;        7,126,259;        6,870,305;        6,975,061;        7,564,171        7,168,856; and        6,924,586.        